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Dental Hygiene Fact Sheet

Registered Dental Hygienists are licensed important members of the dental care team who use their knowledge and clinical skills to provide direct patient care. Strong interpersonal skills are necessary to motivate and educate patients on methods to prevent oral disease and to maintain oral health. If you enjoy helping people, working with your hands as well as your mind, and are interested in improving oral health Dental Hygiene may be for you!

Job Description/Duties

• Generally work with dentists to create comprehensive care plan and work collaboratively to meet oral needs of patients
• Provide dental health and nutritional education for individuals and groups
• Perform oral cancer screening
• Examine periodontal (gum and bone) structure around and supporting teeth
• Expose and interpret radiographs
• Scaling and root planing
• Administer local anesthetic/ nitrous oxide sedation
• Administer topical fluoride treatments
• Place sealants

Employment Opportunities

• Full time and part time
• Private practice
• Public health/ consumer advocate
• Teaching/administration
• Research
• Legislative advocate
• Corporate representative
• General and specialty practices
• Hospitals
• Nursing homes
• Public health clinics
• Schools

Salary and Benefits

• Varies depending upon responsibilities and geographic location
• Benefit packages may be provided through employer and/or as a member of the American Dental Hygienists' Association

Lifestyle

• Very portable profession
• Prestige–highly skilled discipline
• Variety–work with diverse individuals/groups, children, elderly, medically compromised, dental compromised
• Creativity–educating/motivating diverse cultures
• Flexibility–full/part time available in variety of settings–mix and match to fit your lifestyle and goals
• Security employment opportunities readily available year round

Career Development

• Life-long learning is an essential component for knowledge and required for re-licensure.
• Local and national opportunities for professional development
• Bachelor and Master online degree completion programs of study are available
• Articulation agreements with some colleges or universities accept completed general education and DH courses

Education/Licensing Requirements

• A minimum 2- year education once accepted into TMCC's dental hygiene program of study
• Dental hygiene degree requires specific prerequisites for admission eligibility
• TMCC: (see DH brochure and TMCC College Catalogue for complete information)

Technical Standards

The prospective dental hygiene student must have the following capabilities:

• Good hand/eye coordination and dexterity for instrumentation skills necessary for direct patient care
• A current Health Care Provider CPR card.
• Be free from health conditions which put others at risk

For more information, please view our fact sheet .

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